2 weeks ago
JNU students, teachers seek VC's removal over recruitment irregularities
At a big university in India called Jawaharlal Nehru University, students and teachers are upset.
They think some teachers were hired even though the rules were not followed.
A group called the student union and another called the teachers' association are asking the Vice Chancellor, the person in charge of the university, to step down.
They also want an independent investigation to find out exactly what happened.
The teachers say at least seven people got faculty jobs even though rules said they should not have.
They say an office called the IQAC changed official lists of chosen candidates without permission.
They also say their questions went unanswered for about 100 days and that too much power was held by one office.
The students say a judge once found the Vice Chancellor guilty of misconduct and moral turpitude at another university.
The groups have asked the President of India for help.
The university has not yet responded.
JNUSU and JNUTA demanded the removal of Vice Chancellor Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit and an independent, time-bound inquiry into alleged irregularities in faculty recruitment and promotions at JNU.
JNUTA claimed at least seven faculty members were appointed in violation of University Grants Commission (UGC) norms, citing RTI responses, official records and Executive Council dissent notes.
The teachers' body alleged candidates rejected by screening committees were added to final shortlists by the Internal Quality Assurance Cell (IQAC) without approval or recorded reasons.
JNUTA said queries sent to the registrar and IQAC Director P R Kumaraswamy in May went unanswered for around 100 days, and alleged concentration of powers in the VC's office.
Both bodies urged the Ministry of Education, the UGC and Visitor President Droupadi Murmu to intervene, with JNUSU citing a Pune inquiry report finding Pandit guilty of 'misconduct and moral turpitude'; the university gave no immediate response.
- Who
- JNU Students' Union (JNUSU), JNU Teachers' Association (JNUTA), Vice Chancellor Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit, IQAC Director P R Kumaraswamy, and President Droupadi Murmu as Visitor
- What
- Demands for the Vice Chancellor's removal and an independent, time-bound inquiry into alleged irregularities in faculty recruitment and promotions
- Where
- Jawaharlal Nehru University, with JNUSU also citing an inquiry report from the University of Pune
- When
- Demands issued on a Thursday; four letters were sent to the Visitor President between September 2025 and April 2026; JNUTA's queries went unanswered for around 100 days
- Why
- Recent media reports and an alleged investigation based on RTI responses, official records and Executive Council dissent notes pointed to faculty appointed in violation of UGC norms, with the IQAC altering screening outcomes
Key facts
- Institution
- Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU)
- Vice Chancellor
- Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit
- IQAC Director
- P R Kumaraswamy
- Alleged violation
- At least 7 faculty appointments in violation of UGC norms
- Visitor
- President Droupadi Murmu
- Letters to Visitor
- Four letters between September 2025 and April 2026
- Key demands
- Removal of VC and IQAC Director, court-monitored inquiry, preservation of records from February 2022 onwards
- University response
- No immediate response from the university administration
Quotes
Justice J. A. Patil (Retired)
Inquiry Officer of the report on JNU Vice Chancellor’s tenure at University of Pune
“proved to have been guilty of misconduct and moral turpitude”
telegraphindia.com
Sources
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